"The Island" is an action-packed oasis.

Rating: 7/10 (3 August 2005)

When you think about the wide spectrum of both past and present directors, you can easily associate a particular genre to each one, and Michael Bay is no exception, so it's pretty safe to assume that a person will know what to expect from this director's films.
Mr. Bay has always delivered high-octane action summer extravaganzas, with the resulting products either being praised or criticized by the press and moviegoers alike. While his films aren't without its faults, they should be appreciated for what they are, fun and mindless entertainment.
As mindless as they often are, his latest effort entitled "The Island", offers a surprisingly intellectual side to accompany the ever-present technical dynamics, lending the film a more thought-provoking foundation.
Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johanssen star as Lincoln Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta, two subjects from a group of genetically-altered "humans" who are being monitored and ultimately utilized for the purposes of physical restoration, curing illnesses, and to aid in the pursuit of eternal youth.
The participants all reside within a facility which is at once a representation of impeccable sanitation and order. Everyone goes about their tasks and general daily routine, believing that they are the last remaining survivors of an outside world which has succumbed to the damaging effects of contamination.
Most have been sheltered there for many years, and it is the wish of many to be given freedom which can seemingly be attained through a rigged lottery draw that promises the winner a trip to an undisclosed and unaffected piece of land.
Unbeknownst to everyone involved, are the ulterior motives of the facility's masterminds. That is, to everyone except Lincoln and Jordan, who manage to escape the confines of their claustrophobic environment, only to be met by an unfamiliar external reality.
With absolutely no knowledge of their surroundings, they must become a part of civilization in their attempt to uncover a conspiracy, while also attempting to survive and outrun their pursuers.
"The Island" is, in many respects, two films in one. It begins as a futuristic sci-fi exploration which gleams with cold, sterile surfaces and meticulous organization, but soon, it descends onto a more pedestrian platform and transforms itself into Mr. Bay's signature showcase of fiery chaos. Nevertheless, both parts seamlessly compliment each other to offer the viewer, if not a tropical adventure, then at least, a cinematic one.